Lovlina Borgohain and Manu Bhaker at Adda: ‘It’s still difficult for women in sports. Even parents are hesitant to let their children pursue sports’ | Sport-others News

Lovlina Borgohain: It took almost two to three months to settle down from the Tokyo Olympics win in 2021 as the hopes of the entire country were riding on my shoulders. Moreover, I was the first woman from Assam to enter the competition. Assamese people are very emotional, so their reaction is also very strong… This time (at the Paris Olympics), I expected to change the colour of my medal. But that didn’t happen. However, people’s love did not decrease, nor did I receive any negative comments as I had given my 100 per cent. There are many emotions connected to sports, so yes, people are a little angry if their expectations aren’t met. Parents also get angry. But there wasn’t that much anger this time. I am more scared of the reaction I get from social media than my parents.Manu Bhaker: I had a bittersweet moment in Paris. While I was happy with the medals, I also felt that I missed the silver 0.1 points. The very next day, we had the mixed team match. So I was all hyped up that I had to do good and I had to try and do better than the day before so that we could qualify for a bronze medal match. The final air pol match for mixed doubles was like a do-or-die situation. That was really interesting. The people in the crowd were going crazy. It was really interesting for me. Coming from Tokyo, I really know the value of these medals. I realised how much hard work we all as athletes put in and then it’s converted into a medal that we win for the country. The fourth-place finish is never good. It doesn’t feel very good. But the overall experience was kind of bittersweet. I’m happy, but not satisfied.
(From left) Manu Bhaker’s parents, Sumedha and Ramkishan Bhaker; yoga expert Anil Jain; advocate Daksh Jain
On how life changed after the medals
Bhaker: Honestly, I’m getting to wear different kinds of clothes but other than that, it’s going to be the same. As athletes, our main goal is to just perform and try and do good in competitions for India. So that is going to be the
primary goal. Only the bonus point for me, being a girl, would be wearing different kinds of clothes, trying different things and making new friends. So that is cool. But I think life should remain the same.
(From left) Dr Rashmi Saluja, Executive Chairperson, Religare Enterprises, with Olympic medalls Manu Bhaker and Lovlina Borgohain
On their backgrounds
Bhaker: There is a small school in Goria village, Jhajjar, Haryana, called Universal Senior Secondary School. I started my shooting career from there. Our school would transform the assembly area to resemble the Olympics arena. They would make the school students sit in that area to create that pressure. I got my initial training there. I was also selected for the Indian team while I was in school, and even qualified for the Commonwealth Games. When I was young, I wanted to get stronger in case I got into an untoward situation. I didn’t want to be scared and wanted to be able to fight back. Therefore, I liked combat sports and would also get into several fights… Shooting taught me a lot of patience — both in happy and nervous situations.
Borgohain: Our family comes from a lower economic background. My mother, two sers and I used to be alone in the house while my father worked in the tea garden. Therefore, my mother insed that we learn martial arts for self-defence. I learnt muay thai and that gave me confidence. As muay thai wasn’t an Olympic sport, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) gave me a chance to shift to boxing. Initially, it was difficult to travel long dances train to different places across the country. Girls in my state still face those hardships if they have to think about pursuing boxing. But SAI has helped ease a lot of these problems.
Manu Bhaker with guests at the event
On the Vinesh Phogat incident
Borgohain: I was at home when I heard the news (about Phogat). Even in a combat sport like boxing, a difference of one or 0.5 grams in weight means we won’t be allowed to compete. However, in boxing, if our weight increases after we reach the finals, we get the (silver) medal. We are not disqualified but we are not allowed to compete. Therefore, I had hoped that would be the case for Phogat as well. However, in wrestling the rule is to disqualify the person. There was a lot of expectation and we all felt bad (after Phogat’s disqualification). It feels bad after a player works hard and does not get the recognition.
When we control our weight, for two-three days, we don’t get food and even water intake is heavily measured. It feels bad to get this result after doing all of this. It is difficult to control oneself in those moments, I could feel that. In my last Olympics, I was playing at 69 kg and then suddenly it changed and now I am competing in the 75 kg category. When I played in the 69 kg category, my weight went up a little bit and but then muscle mass is lost, fat increases and fitness decreases.
Bhaker: I am happy I am not in weight sports. When I first heard she won the fight with the Japanese athlete and that the latter was the world number one, I was so happy. I was like, it’s gonna be gold for her. I’m sure everyone was very positive about it. We all were really happy. But sometimes unexpected things happen in sports. I’m not comparing anything but, for example, last time in Tokyo, I had a pol malfunction. Sports teaches us how to deal with very different situations and it can be really brutal at times. But that is something that will actually make us really strong going forward and you can never expect what can happen next.

On rethinking career choices
Bhaker: Experience teaches us a lot. I lost many competitions before I headed to Paris. I told myself that I would try my best and let’s see what happens because I’ve seen the fall in Tokyo. So I was not really scared of the outcome. Losing will teach you many things. Even winning will teach you many things.
I tried to take a break from shooting after what happened in Tokyo. I was so restless. I thought I have to change this somehow. The last time, I was so confident. As soon as Tokyo ended, I was like, next time I’m going to win a gold. That dream continues. At least I’m in the right direction. So I had hardships also after that. I was really doubting my choices. I was actually thinking of opting for a different career path. Maybe something in the education field. Maybe an MBA or something.
On the pressures of performance
Bhaker: Sports is such a thing that you have to sustain for a long time, your career should be at least 10-15 years long, if not 30 years. It is difficult to be injury-free and mentally stable during that because there are highs and lows. It is challenging to maintain yourself during the lows. Sometimes when I am shooting, all sorts of thoughts go through my mind — if I lose, what are the criticisms I would hear, or if I win what will that high feel like. Whenever such things happen, I start humming a song. I rely a lot on music. We have these International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) playls or we always have some sort of music playing in the ranges. That helps me a lot. I don’t have any favourites but I like to play Punjabi music when I’m shooting.
Borgohain: It’s important to stay calm. Boxing is an aggressive sport but if I get angry in the ring, then our decision-making will not be right. In the ring, there are situations when we are getting hit but we have to think of our next move and hit back. We have to seem aggressive but calm on the inside. I try to chant the Hanuman Chalisa inside the ring, which makes me feel a different kind of aggressiveness and energy.
On sportspersons joining politics
Bhaker: It’s a personal choice, of course. Some people think they can improve some things if they foray into politics. If they had a long career, they can actually give back to the sport and sports, in general, in the country. There are cons too. For instance, it can impact their personal life. We can all contribute to doing good for the country in whatever way. I think we all should try to do that. Be it through politics, sports or any other profession.
On the safety of women in sports
Borgohain: It’s still a tough situation. It was even tougher before, you could not even think of joining sports. Today, at least you can think about it. However, it is still difficult for women in sports. Even parents are hesitant to let their children pursue sports. It should be rectified. I feel it is gradually changing. If we are aware and more people start getting aware, then I think it can bring some change.

Manu Bhaker
Manu Bhaker
📌 The one congratulatory message you received after the medal that you most cherish?
My coach, he is barely happy with my performance. So, with that one, I was like, I’ll take it.
📌 What did he say?
He said, ‘You did well’. I know when he says that, he really means it.
📌 Your strategic advantage over your rivals?
It’s not a one-on-one sport. It’s me versus me only. So that’s the strategy.
📌 If not a shooter, what would you be?
Most likely, a doctor.
📌 Rich or famous? If you had to pick one.
Come on, tell me who is rich and not famous, or who is famous and not rich.
📌 The one question that you are irritated hearing repeatedly?
There are many, let’s not talk about that. One very basic question is, ‘How do you feel like after the medal?’ Of course, I feel very happy.
📌 If you could change one thing about your sport, what would you change?
Vasavda: The playl at Karni Singh shooting range?
Oh, yes, definitely. They’ve kept the playl the same. It’s been years that we’ve been lening to those same 20-30 songs on repeat, every single day of my life, for the last eight years.
📌 The one thing that Indian athletes can learn from Chinese athletes?
Consency and how they have this mindset of winning, only winning the gold.
📌 The one Olympian you admire and why?
Usain Bolt’s story has really inspired me. He was really young at the time of his first Olympics. The next time he went there, he won all three golds in his categories. So that is fantastic.
📌 Is there any Paralympian whose story has touched you?
I have come across many stories of our brilliant Paralympic athletes. I am very connected to the shooting ones, so I know a lot about them. Avani won gold in the last Paralympics and in this one. Her journey is very inspiring, we can all take lessons from that.
📌 How would you describe the Indian audience?
Very loving but also impulsive in nature. You can’t imagine the extent that they can love you, but when times are not good, sometimes people tend to also criticise you. You have to be very careful of whatever you do.
📌 What do you prefer — a father as a coach or a coach as a father figure?
Actually, both have equal importance. Without my father, my mom and my coach, I would never have been able to make it till here. So both are equally necessary. But, of course, having that kind of a bond with the coach is going to help you in the long term, in your career and how you become as a person as well.
Lovlina Borgohain
Lovlina Borgohain
📌Fame or money?
I think it’s most important to be happy.
📌 Any punch outside the boxing ring that you remember?
I was travelling train from my house to the hostel and was in the general compartment, where I hit a man. At the time, people used to often harass girls in the general compartment.
📌 Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson? Who is the better boxer?
I follow both, their style is different — one attacks, the other defends. I was more inspired Muhammad Ali at first, and later I followed Mike Tyson. Both are famous and their game is good.
📌 Do you ever feel you made a make choosing this sport and should go back in time and choose another?
There are a lot of positives and negatives about boxing but it has given me so much. You might scold someone a lot but you can’t stay upset forever — it’s the same with boxing for me.
📌 One question that irritates you?
When people ask, ‘What went wrong this time?’ I can’t express that in a word, the result does not depend on a day, it’s a long journey.
📌 If you could change one rule in boxing?
The scoring system.
📌 Do you binge watch or sleep during a long flight?
Both. Maybe sleep because rest is more important.
📌 One thing you’d learn from Chinese athletes?
Their winning mentality.
📌 One advice for other women athletes?
Focus.
📌 One Olympian you admire and why?
Mary (Kom) didi because she continued the sport after her marriage, children. She has given so much to the country.
📌 One Paralympian whom who follow?
We’re inspired Paralympians. They did so well in Paris despite difficult situations.
At what age did you or your mother realise you are cut out for shooting?
Bhaker: When a child is given a lot of choices, it becomes easy to choose a career path. When I got that flexibility from home, and realised I excel in sports, I thought perhaps I was meant for this and decided to give it my 100 per cent. At first, I didn’t even know that shooting was a sport… I would say, I was discovered my school coach. He said I should play for a year, and I will start doing well soon.
How do you manage work-life balance? What is your biggest motivation?
Borgohain: Since I joined sports, there have been times when I haven’t been able to visit home for almost a year because one competition follows another. So we have to learn to be focused. Also, after Tokyo, I have tried to spend more time with my family. Earlier, I could not ask them to come as often as our financial situation wasn’t that good, but now, after Tokyo, I try to travel with them between competitions. And our work-life is sports. We have to focus on that. Training might be twice, but we wake up and sleep accordingly.We stay away from dractions and focus on sports.
Bhaker: It’s a little different for me. My mother is a lecturer and father is an engineer. Everyone in my family is in these two professions. So there was some pressure on me, especially during the 10th board exams because the results are published in the newspaper; it would have been embarrassing if I didn’t do well. So I told them at the time that I need a tutor, only then can I sustain. I used to do sports and studies, and still do. I try to get good marks and do well in sports.
In your sport, do you follow any strategy or is it just concentration, patience, focus?
Bhaker: We do have strategies. For example, in which competition should we peak, which one to skip, where not to practice, which one to attend for practice. We participate in different events with different motives — some competitions are more significant for us while we can take some others a little lightly. I think that is true of every sport. We also have many strategies for injury management, if the injury is getting aggravated we can opt to skip events. There are also strategies in the competition; if we are feeling low we approach the game differently, if we are excited we have a different approach.
What is your advice to today’s youth?
Bhaker: One advice I would like to give everyone, especially the young, is that there is nothing on social media. You should save your time. Spend time with your family, on the playground and playing different sports. Read about other people’s journeys. Social media se thoda door raho aur jitna ho sake natural life ki taraf vapas jao (stay away from social media and lead as natural a life as possible). Being on the playground, spending time with your friends and being out will actually help you develop and become a better person in life.
Do you have any advice for other athletes?
Bhaker: I would say strength, a lot of strength. Being young, we also really need somebody, a good mentor or someone to actually guide us through the hardships and the good times and the bad times. So a mentor is very, very important. When we have good direction, we get strength or passion and success, everything follows.